Iowa State football will face many obstacles during the 2026 campaign, as first-year coach Jimmy Rogers puts the pieces together for a team that’s headed into the season with 82 newcomers.
External expectations aren’t very high for the Cyclones, after an offseason that saw plenty of changes to the roster and coaching staff, but perhaps they can make a statement by upending a marquee opponent.
Here is a peek at the Cyclones’ five most difficult games for the 2026 campaign.
5 hardest Iowa State football games on 2026 schedule
1. BYU Cougars
When: Oct. 9
Where: LaVell Edwards Stadium (Provo, Utah)
The top challenger to Texas Tech for the Big 12 crown, this will be the toughest game on the Cyclones’ schedule. The Cougars went unbeaten at home last season and there are plenty of key pieces back from that 12-2 campaign.
Reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year L.J. Martin is the headliner. Last year, he ran for a conference-best 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. Three of the Cougars’ starting offensive linemen are back to pave the way for him once again. BYU’s signal-caller, last season’s Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, Bear Bachmeier, is looking to make a sophomore jump. He demonstrated composure and the ability to be a bruising dual-threat quarterback, completing 64.9% of passes for 3,033 yards, 15 touchdowns to just seven interceptions last season. He also ran for 527 yards and 11 touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, BYU has returning playmakers at every level. Keanu Tanuvasa, Cade Uluave, Faletau Satuala and Evan Johnson got preseason praise. Redshirt senior linebacker Isaiah Glasker is a crucial and versatile player who can fit a variety of needs, too.
2. Arizona Wildcats
When: Oct. 24
Where: Casino Del Sol Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
Iowa State has a rebuilt roster and new coaches, but expect quarterback Noah Fifita to have this one circled. Fifita had a solid 2025 campaign, but Iowa State left him disoriented throughout their meeting last year en route to a 39-14 Cyclone win. Fifita and the Wildcats regrouped from that loss and finished 9-4 overall, a vast improvement from going 4-8 in 2024.
Arizona is riding that momentum into this year. The expectations are high for Fifita, who grabbed the lone quarterback spot on the preseason All-Big 12 team, and he’ll have the comfort of facing the Cyclones on Arizona’s home turf. Next to Fifita, the Wildcats return running backs Quincy Craig and Kendrick Reescano, who had a team-high nine rushing touchdowns last year. The team also got some promising acquisitions at wide receiver through the transfer portal.
Defensively, the Wildcats retained talent in the trenches and beefed up their secondary through the portal. Last season, they led the country in turnover margin and amassed 31 total takeaways on defense. They will look to maintain that high turnover rate.
3. Iowa Hawkeyes
When: Sept. 12
Where: Kinnick Stadium (Iowa City, Iowa)
It will be quite the turnaround going from FCS Southeast Missouri to hitting the road to face Iowa the following week.
The Hawkeyes have some new faces on both sides of the ball, questions they’ll need to sort out at different positions — particularly at quarterback — but fans know what to expect from Iowa and there’s a reason why it remains well-oiled machine each year.
Iowa’s staunch defense is well-documented and it’ll look to give the Cyclones a tough time. The Hawkeyes have ranked in the top 20 for total defense in each of the last five years. Offensively, leading rusher Kamari Moulton is back and they’ll be content to run the ball behind their sturdy offensive line as much as possible while figuring out its quarterback situation.
The Cyclones will be tested upfront on both sides of the ball. Iowa State wants to be physical and run-heavy, and its toughness will be challenged against its in-state foe.
A win for the Cyclones would mark their third-straight in the series and would be a statement on many levels and would further Rogers to the fanbase. The Cyclones will have to mesh and put the pieces together quickly to pull it off, though.
4. Utah Utes
When: Sept. 26
Where: Jack Trice Stadium (Ames, Iowa)
Kyle Whittingham left for Michigan after racking up 177 wins over two decades leading Utah, but the Utes have a good foundation in place to continue winning and potentially build off of last year’s 11-2 season. This will be a difficult Big 12 opener, but at least Iowa State won’t need to face the Utes on the road.
Utah chose to stay in-house and promoted longtime defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley to head coach. The Utes continued to play well defensively, holding opponents to 18.9 points per game last season, but it was the arrival of impact transfer quarterback Devon Dampier that allowed Utah to make a massive jump and post a conference-best 41.3 points per game on offense.
Mobile quarterbacks have given the Cyclones fits in the past, but perhaps Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit will have a well-prepared scheme to deal with them. Dampier is a skilled dual-threat quarterback who transitioned seamlessly to the Big 12 from New Mexico. Byrd Ficklin is a gadget-type quarterback who can also make impact plays, and running back Wayshawn Parker is back to help give the Utes a strong backfield.
5. Oklahoma State Cowboys
When: Oct. 31
Where: Jack Trice Stadium (Ames, Iowa)
There’s a case for this year’s Farmageddon taking this spot, but there’s some recent history between Rogers and new Cowboy coach Eric Morris that can’t be overlooked.
Morris previously coached at North Texas. Last season, North Texas demolished Rogers and Washington State, 59-10.
Of the Cowboys’ 55 transfer additions, 17 of them came from North Texas. The Mean Green led the country in scoring (45.1 points per game) and total offense (512.4 yards per game). There will be a steep jump in competition, but the production is nothing to scoff at.
Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, quarterback Drew Mestemaker, led the country with 4,379 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and a 68.9% completion rate at UNT last season. Morris also brought in leading rusher Caleb Hawkins and top receiver Wyatt Young, who both had 1,000-yard seasons. On defense, leading sack artist Keviyan Huddleston and experienced safety Quinton Hammonds also came for the ride.
Will things be different for Rogers and Co. this season, or will it be a Halloween horror show for Iowa State? Either way, don’t expect this game to be a cakewalk, unlike the 2024 and 2025 Cowboy teams that went winless in Big 12 play.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Ranking 5 toughest Iowa State football games in 2026 season
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
